Improvement in dredging-buckets



G. L O'RD. Dredging Buckets.

No. 197,384. Patented Nov. 20,1877.

N.PETERS, PHOTO-LITHQGRAPNER, WASHINGYON. D

rrEn STATES PA'rEiv'r QE IGE.

eEOReE LO D, OE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN DREDGlNG-BUCKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,384, dated November 20, 1877; application filed July 28, 1877.

ing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to dredging-buckets; and the object is to produce a dredging-bucket that is more powerful, and easier manipulated than the ordinary ones now in use.

The invention consists in a new manner of attaching the levers by which the sectionsare operated to a hinge of peculiar shape, the central part of which forms the bearings for the sheave-shaft, and the lower outer ends the lever-connections. It also consists in spirally-grooved operating pulleys Or drums, by which a rolling motion'is produced, and thereby avoiding the great amount of friction produced with the ordinary sheaves; the chains are also prevented from entangling, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l-is a side elevation of the bucket. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

In the drawing, A represents a cross-head, having the lowering and hoisting chain a secured to its-center. To the lower outer corners of said cross-head are pivoted the levers or bars B B by shafts b b, while their lower ends are attached to the outer ends of the hinges G O, which are riveted to the upper shaft E of the sheaves. These sheaves are grooved in a spiral manner, the center or larger one, F, as well as the two small ones, G G, one of which is grooved to the right and the other to the left. To the shaft bis secured a guide-pulley, H, and this is held in place by suitable brackets h h. The closing-chain f, secured to the large sheave F, passes against this pulley H, and facilitates the operation of the sheaves.

The Opening-chains g g are secured to the small sheaves G G, and work inthe spiral grooves, which prevents them from becoming entangled, and at the same time imparts to them an easy rolling motion, and thus prevents friction, as in the ordinary ones.

Instead of bucket-sections, grapples may be attached thereto.

The operation is as follows: The dredgingbucket is lowered by the chain a, when it will be opened by its weight, and the jaws or sections will be extended to a greater distance than with the ordinary buckets, by means of the peculiar-shaped hinges.

By drawing upon the chain f the sections are closed and the bucket filled, the chains 9 g being wound upon the small sheaves. The bucket is then raised by the chain a, and is emptied.

The advantages of my bucket are that it is very simple in its construction; it is not liable to get out of order; the chains are not liable to become entangled one with the other; and a far greater power can be exerted than 'in the ordinary buckets in use, on account of the greater leverage.

The parts may be made of any suitable material, and of any size. Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a dredging -bucket, the large and small sheaves or drums F G G, provided with spiral grooves, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a dredging-bucket, the hinges C 0, extended beyond the sections D D, and form in an elevated bearing for the sheaves,when

coiistructed and arranged as and for the pur= posedescribed. 3

3. Adredging-bucket, consisting of the cross head A, levers- B B, sections D 1), hinges G In testimony that I claim the foregoing as G, sheaves F G G, and the chains a f g g, my own I hereby affix my signature in presall constructed and arranged substantially as ence of two witnesses. shown and specified. V v

4. In a dredging-bucket, a hinge attached to the shell, and extended beyond the outer end of said shell, to any distance required, as and for the purpose described.

GEORGE LORD.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. Fonns, THOMAS MURDOCH. 

